bur oak
Quercus macrocarpa

Bur oak is a very drought-tough tree common to dry uplands, sandy plains, and prairie grasslands. The wood is commercially valuable and acorn production benefits wildlife. Bur oaks are relatively easy to grow and are often used for shade trees, or shelterbelt plantings.

Fun Facts
Bur oak is very drought tolerant, extending across the plains to the foothills of the Rockies. Bur oak has the largest acorns of all North American oak species. Bur oak has performed admirably well on coal mine spoils in Kansas. It has also displayed excellent tolerance to urban air pollution and was named 2001 Urban Tree of the Year by the magazine City Trees.